now that you're my forum friends I'm hoping I can ask this question and get some honest feedback... I'm a bit embarrassed to ask but who better to ask, right?

Those who have been through the journey or part way through it - did you have stretch marks change from white/transparent to a reddish purple as you lost weight? And were they ever a bit tender? I have a few under my arm that are changing to this reddish colour (i'm hoping it's because I'm deflating lol), but today when my arm presses against my torso it feels kind of like a bruise sometimes, and a bit lumpy when I try to feel what's going on.

The more you lose the more strange things you will see! Seeing me naked in the mirror (NOT recommended viewing ) is just plain scary. Loose skin all over the place but that is the price I pay for letting myself get so over weight.

I've had those marks but I don't remember the pain. But I have a good pain threshold so may be it didn't register. Are you doing any vigorous stretching in your exercises? Give it a day or so if the pain hasn't cleared up or the pain gets worse...see your doctor to be on the safe side. My first rule of weight loss..."Do no harm". Keep on top of what happens to your body.

Just an uneducated guess here: If subcutaneous fat deposits have been disappearing from under the stretch marks then what you may be seeing is the underlying blood vessels becoming revealed beneath the thin skin of the stretch marks. These might be a bit more sensitive to any pinching or bumping occurring in that area.